Takashi Shimizu directed both the original Japanese thriller Ju-On and the English-language version The Grudge, which starred Sarah Michelle Gellar as an American nurse working in Tokyo, who is exposed to a dangerous supernatural curse that locks the victim into a powerful rage.

The Grudge earned an impressive $187 million worldwide from just a $10 million budget, which helped establish the viability of low-budget horror films, five years before the micro-budget Paranormal Activity franchise took off. Sarah Michelle Gellar returned for the 2006 sequel The Grudge 2, but she did not star in the straight-to-video follow-up The Grudge 3 in 2009. The Japanese Ju-On franchise has spawned six separate features, with the seventh movie, Ju-On: The Beginning of The End, slated for release in Japan later this year.

I recently visited the set of CBS Films' upcoming thriller 7500, which is working towards an August 28, 2012 release date. While on the set in Los Angeles, we were able to speak with producer Roy Lee, who gave us updates on a slew of his upcoming productions, including the Oldboy remake. Here's what he had to say about Oldboy, which is gearing up to start shooting in March.

"We are planning to shoot Oldboy in March and that should start preproduction in late January. This is a completely new version written by Mark Protosevich."

Chan-wook Park's original Oldboy is based on the manga by Nobuaki Minegishi. Roy Lee said that screenwriter Mark Protosevich has come up with new elements that don't stem from the original movie or manga. He also revealed the ending will be much different, and there is a new take on the famous hallway scene from the original.

"It's very similar, but we've added new elements. Mark Protosevich has come up with new elements to it that will throw off the audience who have seen the original movie because there are new characters and new situations that present themselves in a way that changes the story but eventually go in the same direction. The ending will be something that the audiences, especially the fans of the original, will be very happy with. In fact, some may consider it to be a bit darker. There's a sort of different interpretation of that hallway scene that is going to hopefully be (director) Spike (Lee)'s signature moment in the movie that we want to show in a way that we've never seen done in an action movie."

Roy Lee has also been attached to produce a remake of Battle Royale for some time now, although it seems that project isn't moving forward, mainly due to a highly-anticipated upcoming movie.

"The Hunger Games definitely took a lot of wind out of the sails because it definitely has a very similar storyline and so I'm not even sure if before The Hunger Games, any studio would have been able to take the creative risks you need to make the movie right."

The producer is also trying to launch new versions of The Grudge and The Ring horror franchises, but both projects are still in very early stages of development.

"We are looking to do a new version of The Grudge but we haven't decided on exactly what it will be. We've just put it out to the film community that we are hearing takes from writers on what they could bring to the table on what their thoughts are on a new version of The Grudge. (For The Ring), it's the same thing with The Grudge where we're hearing takes and actually having a script written just to see if it works in terms of trying to restart a Ring franchise."

Roy Lee also revealed he is in talks to produce the Poltergeist remake, which is one of several projects MGM is looking to reboot.

"I'd say the one I'm most excited about updating is the Poltergeist reboot. That is probably something hopefully next year that somebody will be able to accomplish."

Ghost House Pictures and Mandate Pictures are joining forces for another remake of The Grudge.

The franchise started with director Takashi Shimizu's Ju-On, which was spawned after two straight-to-video releases in Japan. Takashi Shimizu also directed the Japanese sequel Ju-on 2 and then the American remake The Grudge in 2004, along with its sequel, The Grudge 2, in 2006. The Grudge 3 was released straight to video in 2009, although it's the only movie in the whole series which wasn't directed by Takashi Shimizu. Toby Wilkins took over directorial duties for The Grudge 3.

It isn't known if Takashi Shimizu will return to direct this new remake. It is also unclear if Ghost House and Mandate are eyeing a theatrical release or if it will go straight-to-video.

The Grudge was released October 22nd, 2004 and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee Strickland, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Rosa Blasi. The film is directed by Takashi Shimizu.

You can bring a Sarah Michelle Gellar horror film home in high-def this March. The Grudge will be released in Blu-ray on March 24. We have no cover art for this release as of yet, but the disc will be priced at $28.95 SRP. The film stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Bill Pullman, Jason Behr and Clea Duvall.

From filmmaker Sam Raimi and acclaimed Japanese director Takashi Shimizu comes a terrifying tale of horror in the tradition of The Ring and 28 Days Later. Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as an American nurse who has come to work in Tokyo. Following a series of horrifying and mysterious deaths, she encounters the vengeful supernatural spirit that possesses its victims, claims their souls, then passes its curse to another person in a spreading chain of horror. Now, she must find a way to break this supernatural spell or become the next victim of an ancient evil that never dies, but forever lives to kill.

The Grudge:Video Store Magazine recently caught up with director Takashi Shimizu to talk about the proposed DVD release of The Grudge, which is now in theaters. Apparently an unrated version is scheduled for release...

Columbia Pictures’ The Grudge will take advantage of that for its unrated version.

Ultimately, Shimizu did not mind toning the film down for its theatrical release. “I can say it was strict, but I’m not really a fan of violence and slaughter,” Shimizu said. “I don’t think these are the only elements that make a horror movie more scary.”

There is also an alternate ending that will appear on the DVD, though not reconstituted into the film. “I always wanted to go with one idea and be with it,” Shimizu said. “But with experience in American production … I understand [how several endings result].”

Sam Raimi, who served as producer on the film, explained what led to the alternate ending, which he considers more artistic. Several options were written and narrowed down before shooting.

“We don’t really know what the poem of the movie is and, therefore, the proper ending, really, until the performances and the scenes are all put together,” Raimi said. “We said, ‘Let’s just shoot the ending we think is most appropriate, letting the director decide, and then if he wants to approve [a reshoot] later, he can. Or if he finds a better conclusion.’ So we shot what he thought was the best conclusion at the time, and we actually went back and made some tweaks to it during one day of additional photography that I think is really an improvement.”

The Grudge was released October 22nd, 2004 and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee Strickland, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Rosa Blasi. The film is directed by Takashi Shimizu.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Moviegoers have no grudges against Sarah Michelle Gellar. But they apparently have a beef with Ben Affleck. Sony's fright flick The Grudge starring Gellar got a jump on Halloween with an estimated $40 million opening weekend to debut at No. 1, while Affleck delivered a holiday turkey starring in DreamWorks' Surviving Christmas, the critically drubbed comedy coming in at No. 7 with an estimated $4.5 million.

DreamWorks' animated Shark Tale, the top movie for three straight weekends, slipped to second place with an estimated $14.3 million, lifting its total to about $136.9 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Grudge, a remake of a Japanese horror hit, stars Gellar as an American student in Tokyo terrorized by a raging spirit lingering in a house with a violent history.

Debuting in 3,245 theaters, The Grudge averaged a healthy $12,327 a cinema.

Dont't forget to also check out: The Grudge

The Grudge was released October 22nd, 2004 and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee Strickland, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Rosa Blasi. The film is directed by Takashi Shimizu.

An English-language remake of the Japanese horror thriller Ju-On, The Grudge is about a murderous supernatural curse born of a grudge held by someone who dies angry. The curse passes like a virus to its victims.

The Grudge: According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Takashi Shimizu-directed horror film The Grudge, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, is slated to be released February 1st on DVD and will include a in-depth psychological feature titled "Under the Skin," providing a medical examination into the reason why people want seek out fear at the movies.

The "Under the Skin" feature produced by indie DVD producer Michael Gillis of MogoMedia, for Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment is a 12-minute short that asks: Why do we want to be scared at the movies? "The answer comes from several sources in our researching the topic," Gillis said. "I relied rather heavily on a fear research specialist, author and professor at NYU Joseph LeDoux, Ph.D., who has conducted more than 30 years of research on the topic."

The Grudge was released October 22nd, 2004 and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee Strickland, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Rosa Blasi. The film is directed by Takashi Shimizu.

An English-language remake of the Japanese horror thriller "Ju-On". "The Grudge" is about a murderous supernatural curse born of a grudge held by someone who dies angry. The curse passes like a virus to its victims.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, taking full advantage of the spirit of Halloween weekend, Sony's The Grudge continued to impress and astound as the horror-thriller dipped a relatively mild 43% from its debut and collected an estimated $22.4 million to take first place. The Sarah Michelle Gellar starrer, which is rated PG-13 and opened to an outstanding $39.1 million the previous weekend, has scared up an estimated $71.3 million in 10 days.

Heading into the weekend, Universal's highly praised Ray, the Ray Charles biopic starring Jamie Foxx, was expected by many in the industry to take the top slot. Even though Ray opened with a solid estimate of $20.1 million, which was at the high end of expectations, the unusually strong hold by The Grudge kept Ray at bay in the second spot but still shining brightly nonetheless.

The Taylor Hackford-directed Ray, a PG-13 rated film co-starring Kerry Washington and Regina King, was released in 2,006 venues, the lowest theater count of the top nine films this weekend. Consequently Ray racked up the highest per-theater average by far of that group with a considerable $10,020. Lions Gate's Saw had an impressive debut this weekend as well, as the low-budget horror film, which reportedly cost less than $2 million, opened in the third spot with an estimated $17.4 million -- far higher than the $8 million-to-$10 million range anticipated.

Dont't forget to also check out: The Grudge

The Grudge was released October 22nd, 2004 and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee Strickland, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Rosa Blasi. The film is directed by Takashi Shimizu.

An English-language remake of the Japanese horror thriller "Ju-On". "The Grudge" is about a murderous supernatural curse born of a grudge held by someone who dies angry. The curse passes like a virus to its victims.

A Powerful Rage: Behind the Grudge - a five part making-of documentary Cast and crew commentary including Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Sarah Michelle Gellar and more! Under the Skin Featurette - explores the medical explanation of the fear response in film Previews Commentary with Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Sarah Michelle Gellar & More Under the Skin Featurette - A Medical Explanation of Fear Response In Film A Powerful Rage: A five-part making-of documentary Myth of the Ju-On

Sam Raimi, Takashi Shimizu and Sarah Michelle Gellar talk about making The Grudge!

Japanese horror has become the next big thing in the wake of The Ring’s success. Studios have rushed to remake Dark Water and The Eye, but Sam Raimi saw something special in the Ju-On series and decided to produce a remake because the director so impressed his own horror sensibilities.

“This very talented Takashi Shimizu, who I think is a brilliant - and I use this word without trying to hype it - I think he's a master of suspense,” Raimi said. “Because I hadn't seen a film until that that I thought, ‘Oh my God, I've got to go back to school.’ I'm studying how to make a horror film now, because this guy has so outdone me, and really taught me so many things about new ways to do it that I've been shamed, you know. Either I go back to school or I start producing his pictures. So that was the easier way.”

The value of a genre god’s praise was not lost on Shimizu. “When Sam asked me to do this, he said, ‘Bring in the different ghosts tastes to America,’ and that was such an honor to be asked for,” he said through a translator. “And of course I am a fan of Sam and that’s just a great honor to do what he asked for and that’s why I decided to go with it.”

Remakes can go many different ways, so Raimi was very particular in what he wanted to see in the U.S. version of The Grudge. “We tried to replace the actors with English speaking American actors because usually the movies that are successful here in the states that people really get into are those with American actors or British actors,” Raimi said. “They really don't go see a lot of movies - except in L.A. and New York I think, and maybe one or two other cities, maybe Chicago - where there are foreign-born, foreign-speaking actors. That's just the culture we are. So we tried to make it accessible to the American audience by replacing them with really good American actors. But we tried to really hang on to what made the film unique and not try and make it some American film. We hung on to the Japanese director. We wanted to do the translation by replacing the American actors so it was successful, hang on to the strengths of the picture, which was its Japanese cultural background. We didn't want to make it a story of spirits in America. And hang on to the great talent of the director. And we hope that that will be a good way to work in the future with Japanese directors.”

Shimizu was at first tempted to improve upon his original vision, but Raimi’s praise gave him the confidence to stick with the original plan. “Of course, there are things I’m more satisfied in the remake Grudge,” Shimizu said. “But I actually found out that when we were doing the original, there were things we couldn’t do because the low budget and there was no time. But there are still things we can’t do with the money and the time. It was kind of hard for me to find that out, but still this remake Grudge is definitely on a higher level of completion.”

Casting genre icon Sarah Michelle Gellar in the lead may also seem like a no brainer, and she is happy to continue in roles that empower women. “People ask me that question a lot,” Gellar said. “I definitely did think about it beforehand, but women still have a long way to go in this industry in terms of roles where we can really sort of lead the film and drive it. I was thinking, look at past Oscar winners. Right after Halle Berry won, she did Gothika, and Charlize Theron is doing Aeon Flux, and why is that? Because that is the big roles where women can really drive them and be successful in them.”

Though the English speaking cast had to rely on translators to communicate with the director, they found it easy to pick up enough Japanese to get around. Especially Gellar, who has been an enthusiast of Asian culture for much of her life. “It’s very hard to be lonely in Japan,” she shared. “Clearly you miss your family, your dog, your home, but Japanese people are incredibly welcoming. The best advice I got before I left was someone said the best thing you can do is just learn the basics of the language. And a lot of times when you go across, especially when it comes to Europe, I’m so embarrassed because it’s like I bastardize the language and I feel like everyone’s laughing at me. But in Japan they’re so honored you’re taking the time to learn even the smallest bit of the language, they open up their homes to you and they’re so gracious. They invite you to dinner, and on top of that I had this great cast that was so interested in everything Japanese and Japanese culture and Japanese society.”

Sometimes, they tried to teach their director some English, but it backfired. “There was a big mistake I learned early on,” Gellar said. “You always have fun teaching people bad things to say, like, you know, ‘I hate her,’ or ‘I hate him,’ or ‘suck less’ or any of those things. And I remember it was really funny to all of us. We thought it was funny. So in the morning Jason [Behr] would come in and it would be all ‘I hate him,’ until the first reporter came out to interview us for CNN. We did this interview, and Shimizu was like, ‘Ah, Sarah Michelle, I hate her. She’s crazy. Jason, nuts,’ and said all of the thing we had taught him, and oh my gosh. That’s one of those things where your heart stops, because while it might be very funny to us, it might not necessarily again translate in this kind of sense that that was a joke, so, yes I did teach him a number of those things. And Jason’s the worst influence. I think the first thing Jason took Shimizu to in America was Krispy Kreme.”

Shimizu could tell that some of his nuances were lost in translation on the actors too. “Actually, the movie Lost in Translation was happening during The Grudge, so I saw it during the shooting and Sarah got the DVD to watch it, so I was very conscious about the film and very conscious about Sara understanding what I actually saying. Meaning what if something like Lost in Translation was happening here? I was conscious about that. What I am trying to say is, if I hear English, I can kind of understand the nuance of it. But Sara doesn’t understand any Japanese so she probably doesn’t get the feeling even, but she was very smart and was able to sense everything so there wasn’t a problem.”

Ultimately, Gellar feels it’s certain cultural differences that make Japanese horror so effective. “I’ve always been a fan of Asian cinema,” she said. “I think that it’s really daring. I love the idea of nonlinear filmmaking. I love the idea that it’s not a beginning, middle and end and it’s not a neat package. And I thought the shots were so interesting. I think that sometimes in American films, we get bogged down by trying to make our days and huge crews. In Japan, we would have had triple the amount of crew members in America making this film. And I just love the idea of being part of it. I love the idea of being part of the first Japanese film ever made for American audiences.”

The Grudge opens Friday.

Dont't forget to also check out: The Grudge

The Grudge was released October 22nd, 2004 and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee Strickland, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Rosa Blasi. The film is directed by Takashi Shimizu.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Q & A on The Grudge

Q: Was there any reluctance to take on this role knowing the cultural differences of the material?

SMG: It was the main reason I took the project. The idea for me to first of all be able to spend three months in Japan to be able to be part of the first film ever to be made with the original Japanese director, they were all of the reasons why I chose the project.

Q: Were you hesitant to do horror again?

SMG: If it was horror, in my opinion, in the American sense, yes, I would have been. But I think that Japanese movies are much more thriller-oriented. And, you know, people ask me that question a lot. I definitely did think about it beforehand, but women still have a long way to go in this industry in terms of roles where we can really sort of lead the film and drive it. I was thinking, look at past Oscar winners. Right after Halle Berry won, she did Gothika, and Charlize Theron is doing Aeon Flux, and why is that? Because that is the big roles where women can really drive them and be successful in them.

Q: Was it challenging to develop your character and maintain the mood Takashi Shimizu was trying to create?

SMG: You know, usually that would be the case, but it really wasn’t in this film, and we spoke a lot beforehand about each character and why we were there and what our reaction was to being in Japan, because it’s important to keep that and it was the first time I really did an experience like that where it was important but of course the surroundings and situations make it that much easier to sort of create a character.

Q: How do you perceive the differences between Japanese and American horror?

SMG: Well I think Japanese films leave a lot more to the imagination. It’s a lot more about setting it up and letting you take it to that place where it makes it scariest for you. It’s not gory, it’s not bloody, and I think because of that, it’s much more chilling.

Q: How lonely was it being in Japan for several months?

SMG: It’s very hard to be lonely in Japan. Clearly you miss your family, your dog, your home, but Japanese people are incredibly welcoming. The best advice I got before I left was someone said the best thing you can do is just learn the basics of the language. And a lot of times when you go across, especially when it comes to Europe, I’m so embarrassed because it’s like I bastardize the language and I feel like everyone’s laughing at me, but in Japan they’re so honored you’re taking the time to learn even the smallest bit of the

language, they open up their homes to you and they’re so gracious. They invite you to dinner, and on top of that I had this great cast that was so interested in everything Japanese and Japanese culture and Japanese society.

Q: Did your husband join you?

SMG: No he didn’t. He was working, actually.

Q: The director said he picked you because of Cruel Intentions, because you’re a brave actress. Is that how you see yourself?

SMG: I do. I mean, I remember when I wanted to do Cruel Intentions, everyone told me I was crazy. ‘Why do you want to do that? It’s not your audience. You’re going to alienate your audience.’ and I said ‘because that’s what I want to do.’ and I would up splitting with some of my representation over it because they thought I was crazy for wanting to do it, but I was passionate about it, and what I learned from that experience is you have to do things you’re passionate about, and when I left the show and it was time to sort of figure out what I wanted to do, I waited until I found something that was really important to me, and that was this project, and I’m glad I waited.

Q: Did you commit any cultural faux pas?

SMG: Oh, I mean constantly, but I commit faux pas in America, but that’s like, you know, nothing new for me. You know, things like taking off your shoes every time. Sometimes you just forget and it’s very difficult to remember... I didn’t ever forget going to people’s houses, but it’s a set. It’s not a house, but you still have to take your shoes off before you go in every time, and that was hard for me in the beginning, until I realized how much fun it was to steal everyone’s shoes.

Q: Was it hard to say goodbye to Buffy?

SMG: Oh, I mean, the most difficult thing I ever experienced. It’s all I knew. I mean, I got that show when I was 18 years old. It was a character I loved. It was a challenging character, and that crew, I mean that was my family, and those are people that I saw nine months of the year for eight years of my life. It was incredibly difficult.

Q: Are there any talks of a Buffy movie?

SMG: I have a lot of hesitation about it. It was a movie, I spent the first year of the show constantly explaining to people, ‘no no, it’s not like the movie’ because there was such a bias to the movie, because it didn’t work as a film. And that’s my initial hesitation and the other is that clearly you’re going to disappoint people. I mean, I was very happy with

the finale, but I still believe that it should have been two hours, I believe there wasn’t enough Xander, I believe that certain things get left out, and when you make a film you’re setting your self up to disappoint people and part of the reason I believe the

show worked was because the story’s an arc and you felt fort this character’s experience, and it wasn’t a beginning, middle and end and I don’t believe she worked like that. And I say that now, and if in a year they could send me the script and I could think it’s great and we could be at the junket a year and a half from now, but I will say that I have a lot of hesitations about it and it is not something I particularly want to do at this time.”

Q: Tell us about Southland Tales?

SMG: Goodness, it’s so hard to describe. The only thing I can sort of say is could you imagine trying to explain Donnie Darko to people before they saw it? Okay, it’s about a guy and there’s this six foot imaginary bunny. Richard Kelly to me is just a genius and part of the things I want to do is be able to work with interesting people and have different experiences and having such an amazing time on this film just pushes me to want that more and more and more. I had seen Donnie Darko and thought this guy is so different and he has so much to say and it would be such an honor to meet him. That’s just how it all started.

Q: Will you sing in it?

SMG: No, you can all rest assured that I will not.

Q: You’ve sung before on Buffy.

SMG: That was the most miserable experience of my entire life.

Q: Why?

SMG: I am a perfectionist. I don’t do anything unless I can train for months and months and months. And we got that script three weeks out. And I had no days off. And I would leave work and take a singing lesson and go to the dance class and to me that should’ve been the first episode after a three month hiatus when you could’ve been ready and I’m done with that, boy. So no, I will not be singing in Southland Tales.

Q: Wouldn’t a movie give you all that time to prepare?

SMG: For singing, probably not enough for me.

Q: They pay for the lessons.

SMG: I don't know, do they? They didn’t on Buffy.

Q: What stage is it at?

SMG: Just sort of gearing up. We’re hoping to start at the beginning of the year.

Q: Is it less surreal than Donnie Darko?

SMG: It’s less strange than Donnie Darko. Yeah, that’s kind of an obvious statement. It’s a lot more characters, a lot more interwoven story, but again, it’s all in Richard Kelly’s head and I would not do it justice attempting.

Q: Had you seen the previous Ju-On?

SMG: Yes, I did. I’ve always been a fan of Asian cinema. I think that it’s really daring. I love the idea of nonlinear filmmaking. I love the idea that it’s not a beginning, middle and end and it’s not a neat package. And I thought the shots were so interesting. I think that sometimes in American films, we get bogged down by trying to make our days and huge crews. In Japan, we would have had triple the amount of crew members in America making this film. And I just love the idea of being part of it. I love the idea of being part of the first Japanese film ever made for American audiences.

Q: Have you seen it yet?

SMG: No, I’m waiting. I cannot wait.

Q: How did the ghost woman do those movements?

SMG: Jason [Behr] and I were fascinated by the staircase scene. We could not wait to see her do what we like to refer to as the cockroach crawl. And we get there that day and I’m looking for the wires. Ah, I guess they’re not set up yet. That’s so weird. And then I’m looking at the staircase and I’m touching it. I’m like, whoa, it’s real. It’s not padded. And my American warped mind figured it’s a stunt. Oh no. She crawls down those stairs on her knees, this little woman who makes me look like I could be a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, okay. And Jason and I the first day just sort of stood there. We ruined the first take because we were just so like flabbergasted that she actually did this.

Q: Then she had to do it again?

SMG: And again, and again.

Q: When they call cut, do you have a conversation with her?

SMG: Well, you can’t get too close because the makeup will get all over you, so I did get yelled at right away because I got the blood and the silver makeup all over myself, so you couldn’t get too close. There is a slight language barrier, but no, you can start talking. She giggles and like, you know. You know what’s worse is the freaky little kid. I’m sorry, that little kid is freaky. When he opens his mouth… oh, man. I would see that kid on set and it would freak me out.

Q: Were you ever freaked out on the set?

SMG: Not really. It was more a jovial set than that, but I’ll tell you though, that scene where they drowned that kid in the bathtub, when I saw that the first time, I was like, “Oh my God, they drowned Yuya. In America, again, it would be a dummy. That was a kid in the bathtub being drowned.”

Q: Would you do a sequel?

SMG: Well, I would go back to Japan in a heartbeat for anything.

Q: Have they talked about a sequel?

SMG: No, we haven’t really. I mean, knock on wood, but let’s wait until it comes out.

Q: There was a Ju-On 2.

SMG:Ju-On 2 is very, very different from Ju-On. Even tone. Tonally, it’s incredibly different. It’s much more in the vein of a Scream movie. It’s about an actress whose career is kind of washing up and she gets this gig sort of like one of the unsolved mystery shows in America. And she has to go back to the house and do an interview at the house that no one’s been in since four years ago when this incident occurred. So it’s all new characters except for Kayako and Tohsio.

Q: Do you want to work with your husband again?

SMG: Not really. I don't think that audiences particularly love it. I know as an audience member, I don’t really like seeing couples together. Scooby was a great project for us because at the time I was on Buffy and I was very limited in what I could do and when he would go away to make films and I was on Buffy, I couldn’t go. I never had time. I would wrap at six a.m. Saturday morning and be back at work six a.m. Monday morning. And it afforded us the opportunity to travel together, to be together, to spend that time, but at the same time, I don't think that movie was hinging on Daphne and Fred’s relationship, clearly. It’s a movie about a talking dog. So that was a great experience, but we’re not looking to make Eyes Wide Shut Part 2, I can tell you that right now. I know you guys were all waiting and I’m really sorry to disappoint you, but…

Q: What kind of concessions did they make knowing you were American actors?

SMG: Well, the first one is Japanese actors come when they start filming the beginning of the day, no matter if their scene is the last of the day. Yet you try to get an American actor to do that one. The fact is American actors wanted to do sight seeing in Japan, so that was the first concession that was made, was that your call time reflected what scenes you were in. For action, in America, we slate, we clap the board and then action is their cue. In Japan, the cue is actually the slate. But to an American actor, that is the most jarring sound. I’d be like [frozen] and they were all waiting. I’m like, “What’s everyone waiting for?” So we taught Shimizu how to say “action” and “cut” and so they worked off action and cut. So I think there’s a fair amount of concessions for American actors. There would have to be.

Q: Any future projects?

SMG: We joke that I’m a professional commitment phobe right now. Eight years of my life, I knew what I was doing and it was very planned. I chose my movies based on hiatuses. I didn’t choose them based on I was dying to do it. The first thing that I’m learning right now is that I can really wait until there’s something I really want to be a part of and I want to do. I don’t want to have to work nine, 10, 11, 12 months a year and I can wait.

Q: Will you produce or develop something?

SMG: Sure, that’s absolutely something that I would love to do. I don’t want to direct. I have absolutely no desire to direct. But I think the idea of finding material, something that you love and seeing it to fruition, I think that’s got to be the most incredibly rewarding. So I’m hard at work on Eyes Wide Shut Part 2 and, you know.

Q: Was leaving Buffy like getting out of a long term relationship and looking at new ones?

SMG: From a different point of view, yeah, it is, without so much depression. Without the eating the Haagen Daaz and the bon bons.

Q: Like divorce?

SMG: Without the lawyer fees. Without the real expensive lawyer bills.

Q: It was a happy parting.

SMG: It was a happy parting.

Q: Are your people worried about the time you’re taking to decide on projects?

SMG: My people, I like that. I’m starting to hear it. I’m starting to hear a little bit of like, “Okay.” But I think that one of the things about this film is I really wanted the time to be able to stand in front of it and to go out there, which is also something I’ve never gotten to do. Normally my publicity trips are a day and you go in and you fly out. I just wanted the chance to be able to get the word about this film out. So I’m actually lucky, I’m going to be on the road for about three weeks starting next week.

Q: How did you enjoy Comicon?

SMG: You know what? I had never been so nervous in my life. Hosting the MTV Movie Awards, hosting Saturday Night Live. Ask Jason. I was so nervous going out there and I think it was just the amount of people because everyone [said] “56,000 people, 56,000 people.” But everybody was so kind and so excited and I had a great weekend too.

Q: You should do England.

SMG: I’m going to England. The first time I had been to England in a really long time and Seth Green and I went together. Not “together,” but. Yeah, really, Seth’s secret tryst. He’s in Eyes Wide Shut 2. He’s playing the Leelee Sobieski role in the underwear. Seth and I were so unbelievably overwhelmed, and I went to this premiere with Seth and Anthony Head and it was so nice though, I have to tell you. When I was on Buffy, I didn’t get out much. Unless the people at the coffee store told me they liked an episode, I didn’t have any interaction. So I had just come back from Japan, I stopped in England on my way back and it was just amazing. I guess maybe in L.A. people get jaded about premieres or whatever it is, and also maybe it was my excitement to be in England also. I think it was sort of a mix of that. But the people were just- - I wanted to cry, it was just so overwhelming.

Q: Is this press tour mostly Europe, or around the world?

SMG: Well, I plan to go to Japan to open this one, I tell you that right now, but we don’t open until February. I can’t wait.

Q: Is there any country you’re dying to visit professionally or personally?

SMG: Italy. That’s a place I haven’t been that I really want to travel to.

Q: Which part?

SMG: The part with the food and the wine. I mean, the shopping. I mean, the art, clearly.

Dont't forget to also check out: The Grudge

The Grudge was released October 22nd, 2004 and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee Strickland, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Rosa Blasi. The film is directed by Takashi Shimizu.

The Grudge is not a Sam Raimi movie, but he’s getting all the credit for it. Japanese director Takashi Shimizu made the film, with Raimi producing, but the advertising and opening titles both mention Raimi’s name before the title of the film. This was a necessity of producing the film, though it embarrasses Raimi to no end.

“One of the conditions that I had when we made a distribution deal with Columbia Pictures, the only way we could get it distributed, one of the conditions that they put forth was that my name go in that position,” Raimi said. “I’ve always thought it was very immodest to do something like that, so I’ve never been interested in that or taking those ‘film by’ credits. But they needed to do this and I really wanted to make this movie, so in fact it won’t be the only one. It’s a little embarrassing.”

Raimi has been producing in full force for over a decade, with limited resources. Some have been successful, like the Hercules and Xena TV series, and others fell by the wayside. But suddenly, with one major success, he and partner Robert Tapert are in charge of Ghost House Pictures, through which they can produce movies under Columbia.

“There were plenty of movies I’ve wanted to make and I couldn’t convince anyone to give me the financing for it,” Raimi said. “So what Spider-Man has done for me is allowed me to have, like you suggest, this clout where people will actually give me the financing to make these movies. Like this would be one of them. I’ve tried to make horror films before, but as a producer, couldn’t get them made. But with this company, I can. And the company I couldn’t have ever had unless I had a success like Spider-Man.”

Indeed, there will be a series of “Sam Raimi Presents” through Ghost House. “It’s not something I’m proud of that my name’s so big in front of these movies. But it’s probably only going to be around while the Spider-Man movies are popular, and then I’ll disappear into obscurity again and that won’t be an issue. A few of the Ghost House pictures that we’re making, probably 30 Days of Night, probably Grudge 2. That’s probably already in the deal they made distribution-wise with Columbia. Probably a lot of the Ghost House pictures until I can demand that they not do that anymore. I think when Ghost House Pictures, if it’s fortunate enough to get a name for itself, when the audience starts to understand what that label represents, they won’t need to do that anymore.”

Though it was a long road to get here, Raimi does not look back on any faltered projects that he might want to revive. “No, because they’ve become less important to me as time goes on. It’s not like I’ve had one that I’ve so loved that it’s stuck with me all these years.”

Raimi’s role as producer is deeply embedded into the production of the film. He’s not one of those titular producers who just waits for a check. The list of duties includes “having a say in the casting. Watching the performances of the different actors reading the parts. Making the deal with the studio about how it will be distributed. Watching all the dailies, commenting on them. Watching the rough cut, having discussions with the editor and director and my partners, Robert Tapert and Joe Drake, the producers. Trying to force my sound designer onto the picture because I know he can do it with great quality. Trying to convince Shimizu-san that he really is a great artist. Trying to line up the proper composer which I was able to do for the film. That kind of a thing.”

American studios have jumped on the Japanese horror bandwagon after the success of Dreamworks’ remake of The Ring. Dark Water and The Eye are also in production, but Raimi felt a personal duty to protect The Grudge because the original Ju-On made him re-evaluate his own skills as a horror filmmaker. Raimi is famous for an in your face, edgy style characteristic of the Evil Dead movies, where as Ju-On’s Takashi Shimizu is more subtle.

“I like them both, but I was shown how effective his style is. How creepy and daring it is and I like the fact that it suggests to me he has a great respect for the audience and their intelligence, to allow things to develop in the slow way that he does. He counts on them having the same patience as he does as an individual which I think is admirable.”

To maintain that sense in the remake, Raimi convinced Columbia to let Shimizu do his own remake. “I think a lot of different companies could have remade The Grudge as an American film. What I think my position gave me the ability to do though was insist that we use the original director to shoot it in Japan with the original crew working on it. They have enough trust in me, different companies, now to listen to me about situations like that. And that is the only thing I brought to it that I think would be unique."

As a producer, Raimi was also rumored to be involved with a proposed Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash, but he denounced that rumor. There were some initial talks, but Raimi and partner Robert Tapert decided against bringing their Evil Dead character into the Freddy and Jason franchises.

“I have great respect for those franchises. I didn’t see Freddy vs. Jason but I think what happened was, and it’s unclear what happened, but I just think I didn’t want to be in a position where I was protecting Ash, the character that I want to eventually make another movie with one day, protecting him and not allowing the director to do what he felt he had to do. I didn’t want to be in a weird position like that. I have a great deal or respect for Sean Cunningham. I think he’s a brilliant filmmaker. He made some classics. I just didn’t think it was a winning great situation for anybody.”

Raimi is currently at work on an extended cut of Spider-Man 2, called Spider-Man 2.5 with several seconds of new CGI footage. “I’m kind of completing scenes that I didn't have the money to complete when we did the movie. I board out with my artists a lot of sequences in the Spider-Man movies, that I eventually cut down for pacing's sake. Most often times for money's sake. I can't afford them. Now Sony said to me, ‘Oh, we want to release a 2.5,’ because they want to make more money. It's not really that I had some scenes to put in. I mean, the movie really was the best I could make it. It's not like I think I could make it better, but I said okay, well, if you want to spend money and really give the kids a few more action scenes, okay. That's fine. It's the kids' choice if they want to spend that money. And then I think it's fair.”

Then it will be onto Spider-Man 3 along with producing Ghost House movies. He had briefly thought about directing a small film in between Spider-Mans, but even with a January 2006 start date over a year away, “there won't be time. It's such an all-consuming project that the Ghost House pictures… will demand all my time.”

Underworld Evolution: cc Director and filmmaker's commentary The hybrid theory - visual effects featurette The war rages on - stunts featurette Bloodlines: from script to screen - making-of featurette Making monsters roar - creature featurette Building a saga - production design featurette Music and mayhem - music and sound design featurette Music video - Her Portrait In Black by Atreyu The Grudge: Cast and crew commentary including Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Sarah Michelle Gellar & More A powerful rage: a five part making-of documentary Under The Skin featurette - a medical explanation of fear response in film